Defi Media

The Kreol Morisien (KM) will be the first subject to be considered by the “National Examinations Board”. This will be under the aegis of the University of Mauritius (UoM), which will act as an “Awarding body”. This is what is provided for by the Education (Amendment) Bill, debated in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

“This is a historic step forward. This is how Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun spoke about the presentation of the Education (Amendment) Bill to the National Assembly.

The primary aim is to amend the Education Act to establish a National Examinations Board (NEB) to organize and conduct examinations in certain subjects at secondary school level. Another objective is to allow the University of Mauritius (UoM) to be the ‘Awarding body’ at the secondary level, following the recommendations of the National Examinations Board (NEB).

During her presentation at second reading to the National Assembly on Tuesday, the Minister of Education revealed that Kreol Morisien (KM) will be the first subject to be presented for the School Certificate (SC) exams, whose certification will be under the responsibility of the University of Mauritius (UoM).

Conversations with Cambridge

Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun thus maintained that the “National Examinations Board” will be responsible for holding examinations at the secondary level, setting up “rules and regulations”, developing examination questionnaires, correcting examinations, preparing examiners’ reports on candidates’ performance, among other things.

A Board will be formed and the chairperson will be appointed by the Prime Minister. Members will be representatives of the Ministry of Education, Office of the Prime Minister, University of Mauritius (UoM), Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES), Private Secondary Education Authority (PSEA); from the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), among others.

Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun also revealed that in 2018, the MES had entered into discussions with Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) to offer the Kreol Morisien at School Certificate (SC) level. The body indicated that it did not have the resources, mainly people, to develop and conduct the KM exam as a subject.

The progress

• In 2012, Kreol Morisien entered Grade 1.
• In 2017, the first cohort took the Primary School Achievement Certificate (PSAC) exams. The success rate recorded is 79.6%. The following year, it rose to 77.8% and in 2019 to 78.8%.
• In 2021, the Kreol Morisien is offered at the National Certificate of Education (NCE) level. The success rate is 96.6%.

Arianne Navarre-Marie: “Why a parallel MES? »

Speaking during the debates on the Education (Amendment) Bill, in Parliament on Tuesday, Arianne Navarre-Marie, of the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), asks why create a parallel body to the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES). In particular, with the National Examinations Board (NEB) proposed by the bill presented by the Minister of Education.

“The NEB will be responsible for organizing the exams, preparing them and correcting them. But with what staff? Why set up a NEB, when the MES has been organizing exams for years? Why not entrust this task to the MES which already has the skills and expertise? she asks.

The NEB will organize exams for specific subjects with certifications from the University of Mauritius (UoM), including the Kréol Morisien which will be concerned.

Arianne Navarre-Marie also asks why the chairman of the board of directors will be chosen by the Prime Minister. “What makes you believe that he won’t be a political agent yet? The MES is the organization that manages the national and international examinations. We will now have two organizations with the same responsibility. What is the schedule? Is it about controlling everything and leaving nothing to Cambridge? There is no reason for a parallel body”.

For Arianne Navarre-Marie, if it is only a question of organizing examinations for the Kreol Morisien, “why not entrust the responsibility to a unit within the MES? This will avoid wasting public money by creating another parastatal body”.

MP MMM: “Don’t shout at me!”

During the intervention of Dorine Chukowry, Parliamentary Private Secretary, during the debates on the Education (Amendment) Bill, a lively exchange took place between the deputy MMM Arianne Navarre-Marie and the Speaker Sooroojdev Phokeer.

While she launched to the speaker, “Stop your low level politics”, the Speaker had to take back the purple deputy by saying, “You do not have the right to make speeches when your turn is over”. On which, Arianne Navarre-Marie had to retort: ​​”She can not say anything”. In response, Sooroojdev Phokeer was to launch in an angry tone: “The population is listening to you”.

Not appreciating the Speaker’s tone very little, Arianne Navarre-Marie had to tell him to “Don’t shout at me” several times while the Speaker continued to address her in the same tone. “You’re bullying women in Parliament”, was then the reproach of the deputy. “You lower the dignity of women”, was to reply the Speaker, before inviting Arianne Navarre-Marie to “retire from the hemicycle”.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, schools have not been able to operate as they should. As a result, many students fall behind on their initial study program. In order not to penalize them, amendments have been made to the age criterion. They concern students born between 2000 and 2016.

A circular from the Private Secondary Education Authority (PSEA), dated March 2, was sent to managers of private colleges. Thus, students entering Grade 7 who normally had to be 13 years old are also accepted at the age of 14. Those joining at Grade 12 can now be 19 years old instead of 18 years old. The age limit for staying in college is increased to 21 from 20.

In addition, the age limit for taking the National Certificate of Education (NCE) 2023 has been revised. It is 19 years for Grade 9 and Grade 9+ (“extended program”) repeaters.

The rector of Medco Bhujoharry de La Tour Koenig, Didier Moutou said he welcomed this decision by the Ministry of Education. “I appreciate the Department of Education’s decision to grant our request to not only allow more students to take the NCE examinations, despite their advanced age, but also to consider those for the promotion in Grade 12. The students will be able to continue their studies serenely”.

For him, the happiness would have been at its height, if the request of the persons in charge for Education concerning obtaining the 4 credits to pass in Grade 12 had been accepted.

Students will have to return to school on Monday. In a press release issued this morning, the Ministry of Education affirms that classes resume normally this Monday, January 30, 2023, in pre-primary, primary, secondary schools, SEN (Special Education Needs) schools, teaching centers technical and professional including those of MITD and Polytechnics Mauritius as well as higher education institutions, on Monday, January 30, 2023. This decision was taken following the lifting of the heavy rain warning yesterday evening.

However, the ministry calls for the greatest caution from students on our roads before and after class.